M.D./Ph.D. Dual Degree Program

Students interested in a career oriented towards bioengineering and medicine can pursue the combined M.D./Ph.D. degree program. Stanford has two ways to do an M.D./Ph.D. U.S. citizens and permanent residents can apply to the Medical Scientist Training Program and can be accepted with funding from both M.D. and Ph.D. programs for stipend and tuition. They can then select a bioengineering laboratory for their Ph.D. Students not admitted to the Medical Scientist Training Program must apply to be admitted separately to the M.D. program and the Ph.D. program of their choice.

The Ph.D. is administered by the Department of Bioengineering. To be formally admitted as a Ph.D. degree candidate in this combined degree program, the student must apply through normal departmental channels and must have earned or have plans to earn an M.S. in bioengineering or other engineering discipline at Stanford or another university. The M.S. requires 45 units of course work which consists of core bioengineering courses, technical electives, seminars, and 6 unrestricted units. Students must also pass the Department of Bioengineering Ph.D. qualifying examination.

For students fulfilling the full M.D. requirements who earned their master's level engineering degree at Stanford, the Department of Bioengineering waives the normal departmental requirement of 15 units applied towards the Ph.D. degree beyond the master's degree level through formal course work. Consistent with the University Ph.D. requirements, the department accepts 15 units comprised of courses, research, or seminars approved by the student's academic adviser and the department chair. Students not completing their M.S. engineering degree at Stanford are required to take 15 units of formal course work in engineering-related areas as determined by their academic adviser.